Quiet
by Inky Iris
Summary: He gets a call from the hospital.


This was prompted by my good friend Meghan (twingallifreyanhearts) on tumblr =)

* * *

The phone was ringing when Johnny walked into the house. He paused tentatively, anticipating his father's slurred yelling at the disturbance, but he didn't hear anything. His parents should be home already. The past few days, his mother had been driving his father to work and picking him back up because of something his mother needed to do with the car. Johnny wasn't too clear on the details – his parents had been yellin' something awful and he'd gotten outta there quick. He'd slept at the Curtis's that night, and the next day his mom was using the car to pick up his old man. He hurried to pick up the phone before it stopped ringing; not many people called the house and it was probably important.

"'Lo?" he greeted breathlessly as he nabbed up the phone just in time.

"Is this the family of Jack and Ruth Cade?"

Johnny paused before answering. What if they'd been picked up by the police or somethin'? "Yeah."

"There's been an accident. Can you come down to the hospital?" Johnny's blood seemed to chill in his veins. An accident?

"What kinda accident?" Silently he swore as his voice shook. That just made him look weak.

"Please come down to the hospital and we will explain the situation." The voice was detached and emotionless and told Johnny absolutely nothing.

"Yeah, alright." He hung up and took a deep breath. Golly, he needed a smoke right now, but he'd used his last one that afternoon and hadn't had Two-Bit swipe him a new pack yet. Nothin' for it right now. He'd head over to the Curtis's an' see if Darry or Mr. Curtis would give him a ride to the hospital.

* * *

They'd been in a car accident. Surprisingly, it was caused by a drunk driver that wasn't one 'a them. They told him they hadn't been hurt too bad, but they were stitchin' his old man up and his mom'd gotten knocked out. Her head was fine, and she wasn't bleedin' or anything in her brain, she just was unconscious. They'd let him know when he could see 'em. Darry had given him a ride over and had offered to stay, but Johnny knew that Darry was gonna meet a girl tonight an' had told him to go.

Johnny didn't know if he wanted to see his parents or not. On one hand, they were in a hospital an' his dad wouldn't be hittin' him and his mom wouldn't be hollering at him, but… he didn't wanna see 'em beat up and hurt. He smoothed back his hair for the fifth time since he'd got there and leaned back in the plastic hospital chair. He wanted a weed bad right now.

"Cade?"

Johnny looked up at the nurse and quickly stood, smoothing his hair. "Yeah?"

"You can see your father now."

Johnny swallowed and nodded. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure he wanted to see the man. If he was comin' back from work he'd be sober for once. Johnny always told himself, though he'd never admit it, that it wasn't his dad saying all those things, it was the alcohol. Now, if his dad was still talkin' like that sober, what was Johnny gonna do?

The nurse was still standing expectantly and Johnny smoothed back his hair one last time, stuck his hands in his pocket, and slouched, before following her down the hall. She opened a door and Johnny took a deep breath before walking in. His old man lay on the bed, gauze taped to his head. In the other bed lay his mom. They both had their eyes closed an' looked more peaceful than Johnny had ever seen 'em.

"It looks like your father's been knocked out by the pain medication." The nurse passed Johnny, walking to the bedside. She frowned. "I'll get the doctor and we'll wake him up."

"No," Johnny quickly spoke up. "It's fine. Really."

She looked up at him and then back down. Her lips twisted. "Are you sure?"

"Nah, it's fine," he repeated. He was actually relieved, though he felt bad about it. The nurse nodded and hurried away.

Quietly he settled himself in a chair between both his parents' beds and leaned it back on two legs until it was against the wall. He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. This was actually pretty nice. It never got this quiet at home, even when his parents were sleeping. It might be cheap, but he'd take this moment.

* * *

I am not good with titles. I literally had this labelled 'johnny hospital parental units' XD Hope you like it. Let me know!


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